According to new research, a person's posture can affect how quickly a pill enters the intestines by as much as 83%. The best posture was to lean to the right. This study turned up numerous astonishing outcomes about dynamics of swallowing pills. Two well-known elements that affect a pill's ability to disseminate its contents into the gut and be absorbed by the body are the contents of the stomach (a mixture of liquids like coffee, milk, and juice, as well as heavy meal), as well as the movement of the organ's walls. However, good posture was also very crucial.

Keeping all other aspects of their assessment constant, the researchers placed Duke (a computer representation of a 34-year-old, anatomically normal human male made by computer scientists)  through computer simulations in a variety of positions, incorporating reclining back, leaning left, leaning right, and erect. The best posture was to lean to the right. Since leaning left prevented the pill from reaching the antrum (bottom area of the stomach) and kept all but most of the dissolved medicine from entering the duodenum, leaning left was the least successful. Because of gravity, the position will affect the landing of the pill. The investigators discovered that gastroparesis and posture can both have a substantial impact on how a pill dissolves.

How This Could Benefit People?

The elderly, who usually take medications and are probable to experience swallowing problems because of esophageal changes caused by aging, as well as bedridden people who have difficulty modifying their position, are two populations who stand to gain the most from such research. The discoveries could also help physicians better manage people with gastroparesis, which is a specific condition for diabetics.

Future research in conjunction with Duke and simulations of a similar nature will examine how the gastrointestinal system breaks down proteins, carbohydrates, and fatty foods. It is fine to stand or sit upright after taking a tablet. Consider laying on your back or right side while taking medication while lying down. After taking medication, refrain from laying on the left side.